Marvel in 2016: Things to Look Forward To

Marvel enjoyed several big releases in theaters, on Netflix, and even on cable in 2015. Let’s look ahead at Marvel in 2016 to see what there is to look forward to.

This past year, we’ve seen Phase 2 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe come to an end as Marvel branched out into Hell’s Kitchen, introduced the Inhumans and even flashed back to Peggy Carter’s adventures after World War II. Even bigger things are planned for Marvel in 2016, and there should be something in the works for just about everybody.

Agent Carter Returns

Agent Carter returns in January.

The first piece of the MCU that we’ll see in 2016 is the return of Agent Carter, as season 2 is slated to begin on January 19. The new season will see Agent Carter taking on Madame Masque in America. While most shows would focus heavily on the “fish out of water” aspect of a British agent being in the US, it’s likely that Agent Carter will get this out of the way quickly to focus on the mission at hand.

Agents of SHIELD vs. Death

Lash may play a major part in the season 3 finale.

After the mid-season finale of Agents of SHIELD, it was revealed that the Inhuman entity from the other world has made it to Earth in Grant Ward’s body. The second half of the season will likely set up the big conflict against the Ward entity and should reveal if the entity’s powers in Ward’s body will end up being an established character from the comics (a twist that’s occurred in the second halves of the first two seasons). The fallout from Coulson killing Ward, and how that trip will affect the core SHIELD team, should also be dealt with, and we might even get a nice battle between Lash and the entity to cap things off. There’s no telling where the beginning of season 4 will take us, though it may also depend on how the show ties in with next year’s films.

The debut of Marvel’s Most Wanted should also hit sometime in 2016, spinning off from Agents of SHIELD and potentially branching out the ABC portion of the MCU.

Captain America: Civil War

One of the big things to look forward to from Marvel in 2016 is Captain America: Civil War. Dubbed “Avengers 2.5” by some, it will feature most of the main characters from the Marvel films and also introduce the Black Panther (who’s going to get his own film in 2018). From the trailers so far, it looks like Civil War could deliver some of the conflict that some fans felt that Age of Ultron lacked. If it’s anything like The Winter Soldier, it will probably also contain some world-changing events that will change things up for Phase 3 and Agents of SHIELD moving forward. Throw in the fact that it will feature the debut of the MCU version of Spider-Man and this is one that you just can’t miss.

Doctor Strange

Doctor Strange introduces magic into the Marvel universe.

Another major release from Marvel in 2016 is Doctor Strange, starring Benedict Cumberbatch as Stephen Strange, the Sorcerer Supreme. Bringing the mystic arts into the MCU, it’s possible that Doctor Strange could be the next Tony Stark… arrogant, powerful and learning to be a hero in spite of himself. Rumors have persisted that he will be a major force in the MCU moving forward, and what little has been revealed of the movie so far suggests that it will not only feature a comics-accurate costume but that it will add grace and motion to Strange’s spellcasting to make it truly a sight to behold.

Daredevil and Luke Cage

Luke Cage takes on the gangs of Harlem in 2016.

There are some highly anticipated offerings coming from Marvel in 2016 on Netflix, too. The acclaimed Daredevil will receive a second season that sees the titular hero squaring off against the Punisher, while Luke Cage (who we saw in Jessica Jones) will get his own series where we’ll see him taking on gang members and drug dealers in Harlem. Both are must-binge offerings for those who are enjoying the darker side of the MCU that Netflix is offering up.

In addition to these two heroes, it looks like things are finally moving forward with Iron Fist as well. Casting decisions haven’t been made yet, so it’s unknown whether Danny Rand and company will get here before year’s end. Even if we don’t see Iron Fist from Marvel in 2016, there will at least be several announcements about the show as the year progresses.

Deadpool and the X-Men

Deadpool may be one of the most comics-accurate movies to date.

Though neither Deadpool nor X-Men: Apocalypse are being produced by Marvel Studios, they are still part of one of Marvel’s major franchises (and the only one that remains successful outside of Marvel Studios). Fans looking for things to be excited about that are related to Marvel in 2016 definitely shouldn’t miss these two films, since they look like they may be two of the best films to date in the X-universe. Deadpool in particular seems to draw heavily from the comics, bringing the Merc with a Mouth to life in a way many fans thought they’d never see.

It’s also looking like we’ll see a definitive announcement on X-Force sometime soon, especially if Deadpool does well. If the recently revealed concept art is a sign of things to come, expect casting announcements and other X-Force news by the end of 2016 (and quite likely by Comic Con.)

Damage Control?

Damage Control may hit ABC in 2016.

In addition to what we already know about, there is also another Marvel TV series that has been announced: Damage Control. A half-hour comedy set in the MCU, the show has had very little revealed about it so far. No public casting announcements have been made, and it’s unknown if or when the show will debut. Still, there’s a decent chance that we might see some major Damage Control announcements in the spring in advance of a fall 2016 premiere. While it’s not a standard Marvel offering, that’s part of what makes it so interesting… Marvel hasn’t done a sitcom before, and the Damage Control comics were pretty entertaining when they appeared. If the show makes its debut next year, then it’ll be worth at least checking out the first episode or two to see how Marvel TV handles comedy.